Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-04
THE FLOWER PRINCESS.

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"ie ,ne !elrs 'na' nave come ah'
gone since Menona lived and died. Th'
only daughter of a cazique, she was III,
idol Of fond parents and beloved by every
one. Love and 10y alone seemed TO nj
her Young heart. her lustrous lmn;d owe,
expressed only tender affection. her yn;,e
less face was sweet to look upon and bc,
pretty little hands and feet we're admirai
by ali who saw them
The ceruleap waves of the Nex;cop ,,,,
and the Caribbe,n sea laved the sbor.s .,
her fatherIand: and when Nenona was mo-, ,
| the billowy waters she never tired of p,z.
ing at them. She loved all nature ,lmos,
worshiping the beautiful flowers AsSonr
as her let black hair had grown lone enon,,b
she every tlay co,led bright blossoms anon,
the glossy tresses OF flowers too sb, ,,D,..,
her necklace and bracelets, Then when
she sat in the sunshine the birds ,vo,,J
alight upop her The bright hpJs ur.othoJ
about the pretty child anneare5 frasb and
bsnnv. tho h;r.is 10, .o,,,s -. .Sm a,,
So the emerald hreastad hnmmin, b;ri
fiuttered above her head whiI,, the ,,oldan
winged bu-tersv saf,Is-i ON b.r gn,,,ar
bracelet This pleased the ,;,,i. ,,.;d
,Joyous as they She wop,d l;f, bo- ynic.
fhnSa haf
were triIlinr swee, Laws amopy the go,
foliage.
Because of her beautv and ber c,rs,,
love for the flowers Mepona w,s called
the "Flower Princess When no years of
a,-c she ,r,s san, 10 TIC s..r ,h., h..,;,,s.
peer into his crystal hall and tbors n,,.,ss
tiou fu,uri;y concerninr tho fate 81 tho
cazioue's lovely little doupbfer n w,s
such a yery serious offair thar even ,b.
flowers were forgotten that dav. tbopgh
had She wish 10 do so Menopa corlJ ,n,
have worn carlands on that occasion II
would have been contrary To regulations
connected with the relicious rites
Long and fixedlv the seer cazal .t III.
crystal living in the hollow Of his hand
while the Flower Princess sat facing him
wondering what he would have 10 saw
Thrice he was about TO sneak. and thrice
he checked himself. Then the child said.
.The seer is distressed. Does he think
that the daughter of a chief will Nv,
afraid,"
But the old man Needed not her re-
marks, only continued looking at the
crystal. and his counteuance was troubled
At last he said:
Daughter, have seen. To thy parents
1 will speak and advise them what is host
for thy happiness. Thou art too youno To
hear what have to tel,
.Nay.n repliei Nepon, s.Jt ia tn mo
the seer must reveal the vision of the
crystal. Nv heart ia stronp. am cayer
10 know
Then the wise man no lorcer besItated
but said: 1.-The only daughter Of our
noble caziaue viii weep far from her
fathers house. She will never ho n br;da
Her enemies will pursue her even to death.
but she shall be avenged"
For few davs oniy Meoona was med.
itative-her sweet voice husbed The
birds and the flowers soon chased away
all shades Of sadness from her brow
her deem faith in tbe
prophecy. joy filled her heart. the future
vas SO far off so yayue and the nrasep,
was all sunshine. No tborns had vet |
sprung up among the blossoms strewn b.
owing hands along her life nath-
The white man came from the far east |
10 the land where Nenona dwell. She had |
,oupted fourteen summers when . n.Ie
laced chief saw her and said she was heau-
.iful. He would take her to his own
lwelliny place, where she should serve his
wife and her Young infant. Bat the pro-
,osal anyeresi the caziuue. DO what he |
would, the white man could not win his |
yood will or consent. As for the Flower
she would not hear a word said
,bout leaving her home: least Of all ,c
inter that OF a stranger.
Alasl poor child. One evening she was
Missing; never again would she reioice
he sight of her fond parents. The white
nan caught her in lonely place among
he flowers and the birds. Steslthilv
reeping close he threw a blanket owe,
Ter head and stole her away. She was
arried TO the white woman, who kept her
hidden for a few DAYS till she and he,
alters sailed far from the home of he,
hildhood. away to Florida.
The white woman was glad to hare
uch a pretty maid to take csre of her
arling babe. But the Flower Princess
lad never toiled for herseas, much less
Iad she waited on others. So her heart
ebelled against her captors. and she said.
L will not take care of tAe white baby;
ct its mother see to it. Ian the daugh-
er of chief"
Then they told her that sSe must learn
o cook. But again she refused. saving:
Prepare food for the strangers Neverr'
nd she passionately stamped her foot
pon the ground s.Is il not epourh that
hey have stolen me away from NV home
nd country I am heart broken: and
till they would heap indiyuities uIon
ne-'
whereupon the white woman was ex-
eedirgly wrath. ..Whip the little besstr'
he said.
Menona fied-nor stopped till she stood
v the seashore. The murmurinc water
aressed her tiny feet and cooled them;
hey had burned and smarted in their
amid fI;gbt over the hard oround for tho
rincess no longer had pretty sandals.
On the smooth surface of the water she
aw herself reflected. Il am pretty: lam
caziaue,s daughter: l will not he a slave
0 the white people " she muttered to her
elf.
Looking around and seeing many lovely
lowers blooming not far off, she went TO
luck some of the brightest. These she
wiped into her flowing hair and again
ycrt to the water to look at herself. The